Cetuximab concomitant with gemcitabine and radiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinomas of upper aerodigestive tract: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To explore the response and toxicity of advanced non-metastatic squamous cell carcinomas of upper aerodigestive tract (SCC-UADT) to a combination of cetuximab concomitant with gemcitabine and radiotherapy. METHODS: We managed patients with concomitant treatment of cetuximab (400 mg/m(2) as uploading dose, then 250 mg/m(2), IV) concomitant with gemcitabine (50 mg/m(2)) weekly for seven courses, and radiotherapy in classical fractionation until completion of 70 Gy. Primary endpoints were complete response (CR) to treatment and toxicity. We evaluated patients for toxicity on a weekly basis; evaluation of response included physical examination, endoscopy, computed tomography (CT) scan and biopsy when indicated, and was performed 6 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Additional evaluations were done every 3 months to document disease status. Between November 2004 and November 2005, 20 patients were included. RESULTS: CR was 82.4%, overall response was 100%. Neck disease reached CR in 61.5% and partial in 38.5% of patients. The main toxicities were nausea, lymphopenia, neutropenia and mucositis. Grade 3 and 4 side effects were presented in 70.6% of patients, but mucositis, and lymphopenia without clinical repercussions, occurred in 88.2% of patients. Gastrostomy was required in 11.8% of patients to maintain nutrition. Radioepithelitis developed in 76.5%, but only three of these (23.1%) were grade III. Median overall survival was 53 months (range 6-55 months) and median progression-free survival has not yet been reached at the time of evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Although toxicity is important, this approach has interesting activity and deserves further investigation.

[Third National Ovarian Consensus. 2011. Grupo de Investigación en Cáncer de Ovario y Tumores Ginecológicos de México "GICOM"]. / Tercer Consenso Nacional de Cáncer de Ovario 2011. Grupo de Investigación en Cáncer de Ovario y Tumores Ginecológicos de México "GICOM".

INTRODUCTION: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third most common gynecologic malignancy worldwide. Most of cases it is of epithelial origin. At the present time there is not a standardized screening method, which makes difficult the early diagnosis. The 5-year survival is 90% for early stages, however most cases present at advanced stages, which have a 5-year survival of only 5-20%. GICOM collaborative group, under the auspice of different institutions, have made the following consensus in order to make recommendations for the diagnosis and management regarding to this neoplasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The following recommendations were made by independent professionals in the field of Gynecologic Oncology, questions and statements were based on a comprehensive and systematic review of literature. It took place in the context of a meeting of two days in which a debate was held. These statements are the conclusions reached by agreement of the participant members. RESULTS: No screening method is recommended at the time for the detection of early lesions of ovarian cancer in general population. Staging is surgical, according to FIGO. In regards to the pre-surgery evaluation of the patient, it is recommended to perform chest radiography and CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with IV contrast. According to the histopathology of the tumor, in order to consider it as borderline, the minimum percentage of proliferative component must be 10% of tumor's surface. The recommended standardized treatment includes primary surgery for diagnosis, staging and cytoreduction, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy Surgery must be performed by an Oncologist Gynecologist or an Oncologist Surgeon because inadequate surgery performed by another specialist has been reported in 75% of cases. In regards to surgery it is recommended to perform total omentectomy since subclinic metastasis have been documented in 10-30% of all cases, and systematic limphadenectomy, necessary to be able to obtain an adequate surgical staging. Fertility-sparing surgery will be performed in certain cases, the procedure should include a detailed inspection of the contralateral ovary and also negative for malignancy omentum and ovary biopsy. Until now, laparoscopy for diagnostic-staging surgery is not well known as a recommended method. The recommended chemotherapy is based on platin and taxanes for 6 cycles, except in Stage IA, IB and grade 1, which have a good prognosis. In advanced stages, primary cytoreduction is recommended as initial treatment. Minimal invasion surgery is not a recommended procedure for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. Radiotherapy can be used to palliate symptoms. Follow up of the patients every 2-4 months for 2 years, every 3-6 months for 3 years and anually after the 5th year is recommended. Evaluation of quality of life of the patient must be done periodically. CONCLUSIONS: In the present, there is not a standardized screening method. Diagnosis in early stages means a better survival. Standardized treatment includes primary surgery with the objective to perform an optimal cytoreduction followed by chemotherapy Treatment must be individualized according to each patient. Radiotherapy can be indicated to palliate symptoms.

[Surgical practice in the Mexican Empire]. / El ejercicio de la cirugía en el imperio mexica.

The prehispanic medicines of Mexico are considered as testimony of the splendor of the Meso-American cultures; their great scientific advance and technical allowed them to accumulate a vast collection of clinical and pathological data based on the observation and experimentation. They integrated a nomenclature medical surgical that reflected their advance in those fields of the knowledge, where the anatomy and surgery occupied a preponderant paper. The medicine was known generically as ticiotl, of where it derives the term tícitl for the doctor. In their concept health-illness the limits among the magic, religion and the empiricism for natural causes were not clear, therefore they considered that the divine, human or natural origin of the illnesses influenced in an important way in its nature. Inside this complex causal system, the illnesses caused by the gods, spirits and celestial beings were considered as hot, while those caused by beings of the other realm were cold. The practice of the medicine had a very established organization designing a very advanced system of specialties that allowed them to accumulate a vast experience for the handling of chronic and acute illnesses in different progression phases, which managed with an integral therapy that had a plurality of resources of vegetable origin, animal, and mineral. The surgery was designated as texoxotlaliztli and its cures tepatiliztli. The surgeon was designated as texoxotlaticitl and it developed advanced techniques in the handling of sutures, wounded, drainage of abscesses, fractures and joint dislocations, pterygium, tonsillitis, circumcision, and amputations.

[Maffucci's syndrome. Case reports and literature review]. / Síndrome de Maffucci. Informe de dos pacientes y revisión de la literatura.

Maffucci syndrome is a rare, congenital disease, which is associated with the appearance of multiple enchondromas (possibility of malignant transformation in 20 to 100%), soft tissue hemangiomas and other mesenchymatous injuries. Case 1 is a 33-year-old female who presented with multiple nodules predominantly in upper extremities. Upon examination, there was deformity in articulation and nodules on the hands, which were soft and moveable. There were bony shavings in the second and fourth fingers of the left hand (enchondromas and atypical cells associated with hemangioma esclerosante). Maffucci syndrome was diagnosed. Later, excision of subcutaneous nodules in superior extremities was performed along with excision of nodules in both hands and hypochondrium (enchondroma injuries of left hand and hypochondrium, hemangioma in right hand). There was dysarticulation of the second finger at the metacarpal level of the phalanges of the left hand (chondrosarcoma). The patient is being followed up currently. Case 2 is a 26-year-old female. The patient had a history of subcutaneous abdominal tumor, exostosis, nodules and nodule in right breast. Upon examination, a tumor was found in the right breast, exostosis of right tibia, injury to the right wrist and left thyroid nodule. A simple mastectomy and axillary dissection was performed (fibroadenoma to intracanalicular and 14 negative lymph nodes). Later, left thyroidectomy and lumpectomy in right wrist were performed (hyperplasia to nodular thyroid and hemangioma cavernous). There was injury in the carpus of the right hand and elbow (hemangioma cavernous and synovial tissue with fibrosis and enchondroma). A diagnosis was made of Marffucci syndrome associated with mesenchymatous tumors. The patient was in poor general health and did not survive this hospitalization.